He’s Just Not That Into You: Rejection in Close Relationships

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Abstract

This study investigates the cognitive and emotional effects of individuals rejected by close
friends. Although the effects of rejection have been studied extensively in the laboratory between
strangers or new acquaintances, this study is one of the first to explore rejection within the
context of adult friendships. In experiment 1, participants read a scenario in which they visualize
themselves ostracized by a close friend or an acquaintance. Participants were then measured on
the four primary needs and affect. In experiment 2, intimate and non-intimate relationships were
artificially created through the Fast Friends exercise. Participants then either experienced
rejection when their partner supposedly did not wish to continue working with them or were
informed the study could not continue because their partner had to leave early. Participants then
filled out self-evaluation measures on their ability to create friendships and their general affect.
Both experiments failed to find significant results to support the hypothesis that rejection by a
close friend hurts more than by an acquaintance. The lack of significant finding may be partially
due to the experimental manipulation being too weak in experiment 1 and a failure to fully
believe the experimental rejection manipulation in experiment 2.